Phillies Salvage Win Thanks To Ellis

GAME RECAP: Phillies Mock Mets 5-1

In his debut with the Phillies, catcher A.J. Ellis broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double, highlighting a four-run frame in a 5-1 victory over the Mets on Sunday at Citi Field. Through six innings, Mets right-hander Robert Gsellman's first Major League start had gone swimmingly, allowing only one run on four hits while striking out five. Then came the seventh. The rookie allowed three straight singles to open the frame before exiting. With the game knotted up at 1, Ellis welcomed Hansel Robles out of the bullpen by drilling a two-run double over the head of left fielder Curtis Granderson, and the Phillies went on to score two more runs in the inning. "[Gsellman] was cruising along," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He made some pitches and got some ground balls. He had a pretty low pitch count ... and I thought he was pitching pretty good. Unfortunately, he gave up the three hits." Despite the loss, the Mets remained 2 1/2 games back of the second National League Wild Card spot as the Cardinals lost to the A's. Phillies starter Vince Velasquez wasn't efficient, needing 103 pitches to get through five innings, but he was effective. The right-hander surrendered only one run -- a Granderson sacrifice fly in the first -- on five hits while striking out seven. "We've had periods like that, where we got beat pretty bad and that's one of the things these guys have done -- they put it behind them," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, referring to the Phils losing the first two games of the series by a combined 21-5 margin. "They've been resilient. They came back and played baseball. That's a testament to the guys. They play hard." The Mets lost shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who left the game with a sore left knee in the first inning following a first-base collision with the Phillies' Tommy Joseph.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The Phillies acquired Ellis in the Carlos Ruiz trade with the Dodgers on Thursday, he joined the team Saturday and he appeared in his first game Sunday. He went hitless in his first two plate appearances before he ripped a double to left field with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh. Ellis' double scored two runs to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. He later scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 5-1 lead. "It felt good regardless of what's happened in the last four days," Ellis said. "It feels good to drive in runs, feels good to help put your team ahead and help contribute to a team win."
• Up until the seventh, the Phillies were having a difficult time getting a good swing off Gsellman. In those six innings, Philadelphia hit just three batted balls that had exit velocities greater than 100 mph, according to Statcast™. The right-hander tossed a perfect fifth and sixth and entered the seventh with only 84 pitches, but the Phillies apparently figured him out. The singles off the bats of Tommy Joseph, Aaron Altherr and Jimmy Paredes in that frame clocked in at 109 mph, 109 mph and 100 mph, respectively.
• It has been a rough few weeks for Velasquez, who posted a 10.47 ERA in his past three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his past six. But after he worked out of jams in both the first and second innings against the Mets he retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced to give him his best start in more than a month. "I guess it's just a step in the right direction," Velasquez said. "I had another high pitch count, another long first inning, but I battled my way through it and made my pitches."
• "I told these guys when I came in, the one thing you know about the Phillies is if they get a lead late, the game is over. [Edubray] Ramos, [Hector] Neris and [Jeanmar] Gomez. The game's over. Those guys are lights-out. We saw it firsthand in L.A., and I got to see it behind the plate today." – Ellis.
• Phillies setup man Neris struck out one in a scoreless eighth. He is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his past 31 appearances.
• Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis stood on third with one out in the third, when Cesar Hernandez dropped a bunt up the third-base line. Mets third baseman Jose Reyes threw to first and first baseman James Loney threw to the plate to get Galvis for an inning-ending double play. Why was Hernandez bunting there? "When you're swinging the bat well and getting hits, I'd prefer for him to swing the bat," Mackanin said. "He's swinging the bat as well as anybody we have. But I'm not going to fault him for it. If he gets the bunt down the third-base line, then he gets the run in. I'd prefer him to swing, but what he did I can't criticize him for."

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson (1-3, 9.78 ERA) has struggled in each of his first four big league starts, unable to pitch more than five innings in any of them. He faces the Nationals in Monday's 7:05 p.m. ET series opener at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

Solid Debut – A.J. Ellis could not hide his disappointment Thursday, when the Dodgers blindsided him and traded him to the Phillies. He had been with the Dodgers since they drafted him 2003, and they have a legitimate chance to reach the World Series this year. The Phillies? They hope to contend, maybe in a year or two. But as Ellis joined the Phillies on Saturday, he said his feelings of disappointment had started to fade and he had refocused and found a new purpose with his new team. Ellis came up big in Sunday afternoon's 5-1 victory over the Mets at Citi Field. Making his first appearance in a Phillies uniform, he doubled to left field with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning. Two runs scored to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. He later scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1. "It felt good regardless of what's happened in the last four days," Ellis said. "It feels good to drive in runs, feels good to help put your team ahead and help contribute to a team win. "It's just great to be playing baseball again. You kind of lose yourself in the competition and then playing again. It was a long morning for me prepping, but as soon as that first pitch came, I was back in the game and felt right where I was supposed to be." Ellis certainly felt at home behind the plate, where he has a stellar reputation. He caught a couple of bullpen sessions Saturday and then spent the second half of Saturday night's game in the bullpen, talking to the relievers, learning what they like to throw. He worked hard with Sunday starter Vince Velasquez before the game, too. "You just have to dive right in, no hesitation and communicate with the guys," Ellis said. "You can't say enough of what these guys on the mound did out there today, what Vince did, his pitch count got elevated the first two innings and he was able to grind through the last three to turn the ball over to David [Hernandez] in the sixth. That showed a lot to me, the way he was able to battle and bulldog his way through five tough innings. "And like I told these guys when I came in, the one thing you know about the Phillies is if they get a lead late, the game is over. [Edubray] Ramos, [Hector] Neris and [Jeanmar] Gomez. The game's over. Those guys are lights-out. We saw it firsthand in L.A., and I got to see it behind the plate today."

Another Step Forward – Vince Velasquez did not pitch to perfection Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, but he pitched to positive results anyway. He needed them. He allowed five hits, one run, one walk and struck out seven in five innings in a 5-1 victory over the Mets. He threw 103 pitches, loading the bases with one out in the first and working with runners on first and second with no outs in the second. But he worked out of both jams and retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced. "I guess it's just a step in the right direction," Velasquez said. "I had another high pitch count, another long first inning, but I battled my way through it and made my pitches." Velasquez (8-6, 4.21 ERA) had struggled recently, posting a 10.47 ERA in his previous three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his previous six. He also had given up eight home runs in his previous 15 1/3 innings after he allowed just 11 in his first 103 2/3. So, yes, Velasquez needed this, even if he found himself frustrated with his pitch count. "It just [stinks] to put yourself in situations like that every outing," he said. "To be in a predicament like that is very hard to get out of. On my part, I don't want to be in that situation. I'm going to have to battle through it, but that's just something to keep under my cap and work on in the offseason and to approach it the right way coming into Spring Training." Velasquez should get at least one or two more starts. He has pitched 124 innings, just two-thirds of an inning short of his season high in professional baseball. The Phillies had targeted 150 for Velasquez, but if he continues to pitch only five or six per start, he might not hit that number. "Yeah, I think that would be the right move," Velasquez said about 150 innings. "Discussing with the pitching coach [Bob McClure], they don't want to go too far and they don't want to go too low with my innings. I don't' know. It's their call, but I would like to get to 10 wins and call it a season. "Today was a struggle, but again, it was a step in the right direction." That is the goal for Velasquez: Enter the offseason feeling some good vibes. The Phillies remain high on him, despite his recent struggles. He is still learning on the job and everybody still sees his potential. "The stuff is electric," Phillies catcher A.J. Ellis said. "He has so many weapons, so many options. When he keeps growing and keeps polishing that gift up, it's going to be really, really special. So I'm excited to be able to continue to work with him, excited now to work with him and Bob McClure and [catcher] Cameron Rupp, kind of talk to them about things, things he sees, that we see, together we can build a plan for him going forward in his career."

Pulling Back – Any small chance that Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson had to be traded before the end of the season has become no chance. Sources confirmed Sunday afternoon that Hellickson recently had been claimed on waivers. But the Phillies could not complete a trade with the claiming team, so they pulled him off waivers, making him ineligible to be traded the rest of the year. CSNPhilly.com first reported the news. So what's next for Hellickson, who the Phillies also tried to trade before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline? He is set to become a free agent after the season. The Phillies are expected to make him a qualifying offer, which allows them to receive a compensation pick in the 2017 Draft, if he rejects the offer and signs elsewhere. It is likely that he rejects the offer, but Hellickson might be tempted by the one-year offer worth an estimated $17 million. Hellickson, 29, is 10-8 with a 3.80 ERA in 26 starts this season.

Today In Phils History – On this day in 1981, while playing for the Phillies’ farm club in Spartansburg, Jeff Stone set the professional baseball record for stolen bases with his 121^st of the season (the record would only stand for a year). Phillies phans set a record of their own in 1993 when the Phillies home attendance topped 40,000 for the 20^th game in a row setting a franchise record. Three years later, the Phillies parted ways with Pete Incaviglia and Todd Zeile when they sent them to Baltimore for 2 players to be named later. Lastly, Happy Birthday to Aaron Rowand and Roy Oswalt who were both born on this day in 1977.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-70 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 45-60-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Get Crushed… Again!

GAME RECAP: Mets Murder Phillies 12-1

He had sent Citi Field into delirium once more, and Yoenis Cespedes wanted to show the 35,832 fans his appreciation. Jogging back to the dugout in the fourth inning of the Mets' 12-1 win over the Phillies on Saturday night, his 26th homer of the year in the seats, Cespedes raised both hands to his lips and blew the Mets faithful a kiss. Queens has fallen in love with Yoenis Cespedes over the past 13 months, and with his three-run laser Saturday night, Cespedes set the wheels in motion for another Mets onslaught of the Phillies. "There's some confidence in there right now. Some guys are coming through that hadn't been coming through," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We've been talking endlessly about not getting hits with runners in scoring position; right now we are. It looks like a completely different team." While Noah Syndergaard allowed just two hits through seven innings of one-run ball, the night was less bountiful for Jeremy Hellickson, whose ERA rose from 3.60 to 3.80. He was pulled before the start of the fifth, having already been knocked around for a pair of homers. "I just lost command of pretty much all three pitches tonight," Hellickson said. "I think the two home runs were probably two of the better fastballs that I threw. It's a good lineup. It's hot right now." Philadelphia's bullpen was hardly exempt from the bludgeoning. The Mets pushed their lead to 10 with a six-run seventh inning, which was punctuated by a pinch-hit grand slam off the bat of Kelly Johnson. With the blast, the Mets' 86th at home the season, the team broke the single-season record for home runs at Citi Field, set in 2015. Neil Walker added a solo shot the next inning, giving the Mets four homers, including a grand slam, for the second straight night. "The energy's just different in the room right now," Collins said. With 18 home games remaining, the Mets are on pace for 112 dingers in Queens. Staring down a huge deficit, the Phillies couldn't mount a comeback. Odubel Herrera singled in the bottom of the ninth, the Phillies' second hit since the third inning, but they couldn't put up much of a fight. The Cardinals lost, 3-2, to Oakland on Saturday night, meaning the Mets, who have now won six of their last seven games, moved to within 2 1/2 games of the National League's second Wild Card spot.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Hellickson has been one of the Phillies' steadiest starters, pitching six or more innings in 15 of his last 18 starts entering the night. But he suffered the second-shortest start of his season Saturday, allowing seven hits and five runs in four innings. He pitched a season-low three innings April 15 against the Nationals. "It was one of those nights," Hellickson said. "I really didn't have much."
• Galvis hit his 14th homer of the season in the third, hitting a 2-2 curveball from Syndergaard over the right-field wall. Galvis is tied for 13th among big league shortstops in home runs. It was one of two hits Syndergaard allowed. "He was the same as always," Galvis said of Syndergaard's dominance.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (8-6, 4.31 ERA) faces the Mets in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Citi Field at 1:10 p.m. ET. Velasquez has struggled recently, allowing 19 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings in his last three starts. The Phillies are monitoring his workload this season, so this might be one of his final starts of 2016.

PHILS PHACTS:

Falling Off The Mound – This is not the way the Phillies wanted to enter the final month of the season. After the Mets pounded them Saturday night at Citi Field, 12-1, they find themselves limping into September with just four more games to play in August. The Phillies have lost seven of their last 10, with their starters posting a 6.79 ERA (42 earned runs in 55 2/3 innings) in that stretch. "Tonight was embarrassing," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. But the Phillies' starting pitching problems go back further than that. The rotation has a 6.85 ERA (107 earned runs in 140 2/3 innings) in 27 games since July 27. Incredibly, the Phillies are 13-14 in that stretch. "Bad pitching," Mackanin said. "The funny thing about it is we are 11-11 in the month of August. So it's hard to figure out." Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson allowed five runs in four innings, which was his second-shortest start of the season. Hellickson had pitched six or more innings in 15 of his previous 18 starts. But a two-run homer to Asdrubal Cabrera in the third and three-run homer to Yoenis Cespedes in the fourth helped to cut his night short. "They're an aggressive lineup," Hellickson said. "They're hot right now. They're not missing too many mistakes, just grinding out at-bats and making us work. When I got ahead I couldn't put them away. Then I fell behind. I had three walks in four innings, which can't happen. It was one of those nights. I really didn't have much. "I just lost command of pretty much all three pitches tonight. I think the two home runs were probably two of the better fastballs that I threw. It's a good lineup. It's hot right now." The Phillies' bullpen took over from there. David Hernandez pitched two scoreless innings before Michael Mariot allowed six runs in the seventh, including a pinch-hit grand slam to Kelly Johnson. Mariot allowed a grand slam to Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley last week. Severino Gonzalez then allowed a solo homer to Neil Walker in the eighth. The Phillies needed to pitch almost perfectly against Mets stud Noah Syndergaard, who allowed just one run -- Freddy Galvis' solo homer to right in the third inning, which actually gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. "He was the same as always," Galvis said of Syndergaard's dominance. Of course, it's not all bad. At 59-70, the Phillies have the 10th-worst record in baseball, and if they finish in the bottom 10, their first-round pick in the 2017 Draft will be protected. That is important because teams with protected picks can sign a free agent that has rejected a qualifying offer without penalty. That could come in handy if the Phillies try to upgrade via free agency in the offseason.

The Shock Fades – A.J. Ellis seemed to be in better spirits Saturday than Thursday, when he learned the Dodgers traded him to the Phillies. Ellis had spent his entire career with Los Angeles, which leads the National League West and has World Series aspirations. But in a flash, Ellis learned his time in L.A. had ended as the Dodgers sent him, a Class A Advanced pitching prospect and a player to be named later to the Phillies for Carlos Ruiz. Not only did Ellis have to leave the only place he had ever played, but he had to join an organization not headed to the postseason. Ellis joined the Phillies before Saturday night's game against the Mets at Citi Field. He said he is getting acclimated to his new reality. "The first 12 hours were definitely the hardest," he said. "Really hard to say goodbye to a lot of relationships I had been blessed to forge for more than a decade. "I told someone earlier on the way in that the waves of emotion are getting farther and farther apart, which is a good thing. To arrive here and arrive in the clubhouse, meeting the staff, I'm starting to feel reenergized, refilled with a sense of purpose as to why I've been placed here, and why this is where I need to be at this time. I'm excited about that." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he totally understood Ellis' heartbreak at being traded Thursday. "You get traded off a contending team to a non-contender, you can't be happy about that," he said. "But he's over it. He's moving forward." In fact, the Phillies called a special hitters meeting before Saturday's game. The Phillies played six games earlier this month against the Dodgers, and they wanted Ellis to tell Phillies' hitters how the Dodgers attacked them. "I think it would be good for our hitters to hear that from an outside source," Mackanin said. "We were doing some of that with the pitchers out there," said Ellis, who caught a couple bullpen sessions before the game. "We can dig into those conversations and talk to the offensive side of how we wanted to attack them, and as a catcher, things that I've noticed from watching them swing the bats. Maybe shrink the gaps a little bit and create better offensive at-bats. When you have a better understanding of how the opposing team is trying to get you out, it can only be a benefit." Ellis is set to become a free agent after the season, and with Cameron Rupp establishing himself as the No. 1 catcher and catching prospects Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp on the horizon, Ellis might only be with the Phillies until the end of the season. So what has him energized to play these final few weeks, especially considering the dramatic drop he took in the NL standings? "Guys [in Philadelphia] are playing for things," Ellis said. "Guys are playing for their careers. Guys are playing to make their mark in this game and building on the building blocks to create a winning franchise once again in Philadelphia. If I can in some short time here impact some wisdom on those guys, share some of the wisdom along the way that I've picked up from some great mentors I've had in my time in the game, I need to pay it back, from all that's been given to me."

Anticipated Shut Downs – The end is coming for Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez, who pitches Sunday afternoon against the Mets at Citi Field. The end is coming for rookie Jake Thompson, too. The Phillies are monitoring their workloads, and it is expected both will be shut down sometime before the end of the season. "We've talked about it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Saturday. "I haven't been involved in in-depth conversations, but I know at some point Thompson is going to be cut short, and Velasquez is going to be cut short at some point. But it's not an exact science right now. We don't have a definite date yet. Maybe another week. It depends on how many innings they give us now." Once they stop pitching, it would not be a surprise to see right-handers Alec Asher and David Buchanan take their spots in the rotation.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies started quite the streak on this day in 1901 winning the 1^st of 10 in a row which they wouldn’t accomplish again until July 1955. For the 2^nd time in his career, Rick Wise hit two homeruns in a game (including a grand slam) in 1971 supporting his own effort over the Giants for the win. Greg Golson hit for the cycle at single A Clearwater on this day in 2006. Finally, happy birthday to Tony Gonzalez (1936) and Ryan Madson (1980).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 59-70 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 46-67-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

This Wasn’t Good From The Beginning

GAME RECAP: Mets Mash Phillies 9-4

In need of another storybook run as they look to scale the National League Wild Card standings, the Mets on Friday turned to a player best known for his flair for the dramatic. Wilmer Flores slugged his third career grand slam, Asdrubal Cabrera and Jose Reyes combined for three additional homers and Bartolo Colon cruised, leading the Mets to a 9-4 win over the Phillies at Citi Field. The Mets remained 3 1/2 games behind the Cardinals, who also won, in an NL Wild Card race with five serious competitors. "We're not quitting," Flores said. "I think everybody knows that. We've got to keep it going." One of the league's foremost sluggers against left-handed pitchers, Flores clubbed his slam off Phillies starter Adam Morgan in the fifth inning, opening up a five-run lead for the Mets. An inning later, Cabrera hit his second homer, after teaming up with Reyes to open the game with back-to-back solo shots. All of it was more than enough support for Colon, a beacon of sturdiness as injuries crumble the rotation around him. Though the Phillies chased him from the game with four consecutive hits to lead off the eighth inning, Colon became the first Mets starter to pitch even into the sixth inning in their last four games. He allowed four runs in total, holding the Phillies hitless until the fifth. "Colon just seems to own us," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We can't square the ball up off of him. He does a heck of a job of command and movement. He's tough. Didn't score enough runs to stay in the game." Morgan gave up six runs in five innings, all of them on homers. Though he did record the Phillies' first run with an RBI single, Colon topped him there, too, recording two hits in a game for the first time since 2002.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Before Flores broke the game open in the fifth, Ryan Howard found himself with an opportunity to end the inning. With two outs and runners on second and third, Walker hit a popup into foul territory. Howard jogged back, looking over his shoulder, but the ball dropped in foul territory without going into the stands. Walker made the most of the extra chance and walked, setting the stage for Flores' blast. "It was in that floor-to-triangle area, and I was hoping somebody could run that down," Mackanin said. "You got to pitch around those type of things and make good pitches. Like I said, the mistake to Flores, really kind of put it away for them."
• The Phillies entered the eighth trailing 9-1, with the Mets seemingly en route to an easy victory. But then Peter Bourjos and Jimmy Paredes led off the inning with singles, and Cesar Hernandez doubled both home. Aaron Altherr, the next batter, doubled in Hernandez to chase Colon from the game. The Phillies wouldn't score again, though.
• For the third time this season, the Mets hit four home runs against the Phillies. It ties a single-season franchise record, which they set in 1990 against the Astros.
• Colon passed Luis Tiant with his 230th career win, moving into sixth place among pitchers born outside the United States (since 1900).

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson takes the mound Saturday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field against a Mets team he's struggled against this season. In three starts, he's compiled a 5.63 ERA and a 1-1 mark. Fresh off perhaps his best start of the season, Noah Syndergaard will return to the mound to start against the Phillies on Saturday. He gave the Mets eight shutout innings last time out in San Francisco, improving to 11-7 with a 2.61 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:

Welcome To The Roller Coaster – Friday night at Citi Field, Adam Morgan made history, but not the kind he'll want to remember. In losing his eighth consecutive decision, the lefty tied for the franchise's third-longest losing streak among starting pitchers since 1913. After some first-inning fireworks, Morgan settled down until the fifth. That's when Mets first baseman Wilmer Flores smashed a grand slam to left-center field, effectively handing the Phillies, and Morgan, the loss. Morgan left after completing the inning, finishing with six earned runs allowed on eight hits and two walks in the Phillies' 9-4 loss. "Command issues, missing location, it's as simple as that," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Too many pitches out over the plate to hit." It started from the beginning. Jose Reyes sent Morgan's fourth pitch of the night over the fence, and Asdrubal Cabrera deposited his very next offering into the seats, too. Morgan got into somewhat of a groove from there. After allowing a Yoenis Cespedes single, he retired three in a row to the end the frame. He allowed three baserunners but escaped damage from the second to the fourth. He was starting to resemble the pitcher who allowed just one earned run over six innings against the Cardinals last week. Plus, Morgan finished Friday night with eight strikeouts. But things started to unravel in the fifth. Bartolo Colon and Reyes began the inning with back-to-back doubles, and after inducing a pair of groundouts, Morgan watched as first baseman Ryan Howard couldn't corral a popup off the bat of Neil Walker in foul territory. With the inning extended, Morgan walked Walker in a nine-pitch at-bat. "I don't know if [Walker] wore him out," Mackanin said. "He just made a bad pitch to Flores. Tried a backdoor slider and it ended up right in his wheelhouse." Indeed, Flores crushed the first pitch he saw -- an 82-mph slider -- over the fence. "That's the one looking back, if I got that, it's a whole different ballgame," Morgan said. Morgan has pitched well in the Minor Leagues this season. He's 6-1 with a 3.04 ERA in eight games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but that success for the most part hasn't carried over to the Majors, where he is 1-8 with a 6.50 ERA. Philadelphia made a late run, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth. Still, the deficit created by Morgan proved too much to overcome. "I'm definitely not giving up on myself or this team," Morgan said. "I see improvement. Sure, the home runs and the numbers will tell you different, but I see improvement."

There Can Be Only One – Not much remains from the Phillies' 2008 World Series team. Chase Utley? Gone. Jimmy Rollins? Gone. So are Cole Hamels, Brad Lidge and Jayson Werth. Don't forget about manager Charlie Manuel, either. Now, with Carlos Ruiz's trade to the Dodgers on Thursday, only one player from Philadelphia's magical season is left: Ryan Howard. "You play with guys your entire career, now you see them in different uniforms. It's definitely something you need to get used to," Howard said. "But that's baseball. That's the business aspect of it." Ruiz joins fellow former Phillies Utley and Joe Blanton in Los Angeles. Howard's future, of course, is also unclear. He has one year left on the five-year, $125 million contract he signed before the 2012 campaign, but the Phillies could exercise a $10 million buyout on his club option for '17 instead of paying the $23 million owed to him next season. Howard is rumored to have cleared waivers, which means he can be traded before Aug. 31. He hit cleanup against the Mets on Friday, and he entered the game slashing .199/.252/.442 with 19 homers and 43 RBIs. "It's crazy, he's going over there playing for a team that's playing for another ring," Howard said of Ruiz. Eight years ago, Howard, Ruiz and the rest of the Phillies helped the franchise capture its first World Series since 1980. Ruiz's trade pushes the memory even further into the past.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies issued 17 free passes against the Dodgers in 1903 but still only lost the game by 1 run. Pitcher Art Lopatka filed suit against the Phillies in 1948 alleging that the team’s trainer did not issue proper care following being hit in the hand by a batted ball during batting practice in April of 1946 which was later concluded to be a broken hand which subsequently became infected and ended his career. 3 years later, Del Wilber hit 3 solo homeruns for the Phillies accounting for all of the scoring in the shutout against the Reds. In 1987, Mike Schmidt hit career homerun #522 passing Ted Williams and Willie McCovey for 9^th on the all time list. Bobby Abreu hit a walk off, inside the park, homerun in the bottom of the 10^th in 2000. The Phillies acquired Jeff Conine on this day in 2006. Lastly, Happy Birthday to Jim Thome who was born on this day in 1970 (Mike Maddux is also celebrating his 55^th birthday today).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 59-69 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 48-51-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Still Lose Even On A Day Off

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

While there was no action on the field the Phillies there was plenty of action in the front office which had left many Phillies phans at a loss.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The Phillies and Class A Lakewood announced a four-year extension to their player development contract. The BlueClaws will remain in the South Atlantic League through the 2020 season. 

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies return to action Friday when they open a three-game series against the Mets at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. ET. Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (1-7, 6.21 ERA) faces Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon (11-7, 3.36 ERA) in the series opener.

PHILS PHACTS:

Ruiz Traded! – The Phillies got a lifetime's worth of memories on an $8,000 investment in Carlos Ruiz in 1998. Ruiz teamed up with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels to win one World Series, two National League pennants and five consecutive NL East titles from 2007 to 2011. He was not the best player on those teams, but he was one of the most popular, both in the clubhouse and in the stands. Everybody called him Chooch, and Chooch caught the final pitch of the 2008 World Series, running into Brad Lidge's arms to celebrate. He caught Roy Halladay's perfect game and postseason no-hitter in 2010, a combined no-hitter in 2014 and Hamels' no-hitter in 2015, and made the NL All-Star team in 2012. But the Phillies traded him and cash on Thursday to the Dodgers for catcher A.J. Ellis, Class A right-hander Tommy Bergjans and a player to be named. Ruiz had full no-trade rights, so he could have rejected the move, but in the end, the pull of another World Series championship proved too strong. "My heart and everything was in Philly," Ruiz said in a telephone interview with MLB.com, just a couple hours after the Phillies announced the deal. "I'm definitely going to miss the fans, the city, my teammates, the organization. It was tough to make that decision. It's sad to leave, but another part of me is happy, because I've got an opportunity to go to the postseason and the playoffs and have a chance to go back to the World Series." Chooooooooooch! Fans yelled his nickname, not only at Citizens Bank Park but wherever the Phillies played, no matter how far from home. He served a 25-game suspension in 2013 for Adderall, but it never dimmed his popularity. Chooch hit .266 with 213 doubles, seven triples, 68 home runs and 401 RBIs in 1,069 games with the Phillies. He started eight times on Opening Day (2008-12, 2014-16). He hit .353 with four doubles, one triple, two home runs, five RBIs and a 1.194 OPS in 11 World Series games. He also delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 3 of the 2008 World Series. He hit a three-run homer odd Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the 2009 NLCS. But Ruiz, 37, said the $8,000 signing bonus he received in 1998 is his most important Phillies moment, because it started everything. "They gave me the opportunity to be a professional player," he said. "That was the biggest thing. They gave me that first step. There definitely were a lot of good memories with the Phillies. They were like a family." Ruiz said the Phillies approached him over the weekend about a possible trade. He spoke to his wife, his family and his agent, Marc Kligman, about it. "I have a lot of good people around me, so I tried to get some different opinions and information about what they think," he said. "Because I was like, I don't know what I'm going to do." Ruiz said the answer finally came to him on Wednesday, when he met with Phillies general manager Matt Klentak and manager Pete Mackanin in Mackanin's office at U.S. Cellular Field. "OK, I'm ready," he said. "Ultimately, this was about doing the right thing for Carlos Ruiz, because he has meant so much to this organization," Klentak said. Klentak said that the Phillies insisted on Ellis in the deal because "it was important as this team parts ways with Carlos, who has been such an important leader for so long, that we add a player with a tremendous reputation as a leader and worker." Ellis, like Ruiz, had spent his entire career with one organization, and he was devastated by the news. "Really, really sad day for me, for my family," Ellis said. "One thing I'm most proud of, being with the Dodgers my entire career. Drafted in '03, being the longest-tenured Dodger is something I'm extremely proud of. It's gone in a blink of the eye, without a chance to feel finality to it. Rips your heart out." Ruiz had mixed emotions, too, but unlike Ellis, he is joining a team that has a chance to win a World Series. "I feel like we made the right decision," Ruiz said. "I cannot wait to go there and do my best to help the Dodgers go to the playoffs. But I'm definitely going to miss Philly." He made a point to recognize Phillies fans before the call ended. "Oh, wow," he said. "They're a big part of my career. They were unbelievable. They were the best. They supported me and my teammates. I always tried to do my best to keep the fans happy by doing my best on the field. I think they knew that. I'm going to miss them, for sure. I'm going to miss the city. They meant a lot to me. I just want to say thank you for their support and everything. I love them, and I'm going to miss them."

A Phillies Legacy – Current and former Phillies showed their love for Carlos Ruiz on Thursday, just hours after the Phillies announced they had traded him to the Dodgers. Here is what they said: Pete Mackanin: "I met Chooch in 2009 for the first time and immediately sensed that he was a special player. But more importantly, over the years I grew to know that he is a special person. I'll miss him." Jamie Moyer: "Carlos not only was -- and is -- a good teammate, he learned how to become the leader he needed to be behind the plate running a pitching staff. As a teammate, he always had that Ruiz smile that we all have come to love!" Ruben Amaro Jr.: "Carlos was and is one of my favorite players and people in the game. His story is spectacular. Carlos grew from being a young, shy prospect to being a vital part of what should be regarded as the finest core of Phillies players ever assembled. The memory of Carlos catching the last pitch of the 2008 season and making that dramatic last play in the playoffs against Cincinnati to preserve Doc's [Roy Halladay] postseason no-hitter will forever be imprinted in my mind and in my heart. I hope he gets another chance at October baseball." Cole Hamels: "Carlos was such an important part of my growth as a pitcher. His preparation and instinct as a catcher set him apart as one of the best, and I feel fortunate to have pitched with him while we were teammates in Philadelphia. His positive clubhouse personality was infectious and he had great respect for the Phillies organization and the fans. He will leave behind a legacy for the catchers that come up through the Phillies' system on how to play 'the Phillie Way.'" Brad Lidge: "Chooch's impact on Philly will never be forgotten. He was a legendary catcher and clutch hitter. No catcher took more pride in their pitcher's performances than he did. No one worked harder, no one cared more. He's a Phillie legend and one of the best teammates I've ever had." Rich Dubee: "It is good to see that Chooch got traded to a team that he had so much playoff success against. Carlos was a real leader and backbone of those winning pitching staffs." Charlie Manuel: "Chooch came to the big leagues and worked hard to become a regular, frontline catcher, which is to be commended. He was easy to coach and fun to be around because he loves playing baseball. One of my great joys of managing the Phillies was being at the ballpark with Chooch. I hope he gets to play in the big leagues as long as he wants. We will all miss him in Philadelphia, but continue to root for him no matter what uniform he is in." Chris Coste: "During his time with the Phillies there were plenty of superstars, but you could argue that Chooch was the most valuable. He was the rock, both on the field and in the clubhouse. Those of us behind the scenes were aware of his value, and although it took a few years, it was clear that the 'Phans' also knew what he meant to Philadelphia." Roy Halladay: "Chooch was the little engine that could for a team loaded with big names, but no player was more valuable to the team as a whole then Carlos! He was so humble and grateful you couldn't help but just want to do anything for him including win! He flawlessly handled one of the greatest pitching staffs ever assembled and was just as important offensively, as well. It was nothing short of miraculous that he could handle so many different personalities and approaches on a day-to-day basis the way that he did. "He was the best catcher I've ever thrown to and, in my opinion, the best catcher in baseball in the years I was with him. It's going to be sad to see him without a Phillies uniform on and not seeing him sitting in his chair in the clubhouse with a smile. And just the way the fans treated Chase last week, Chooch is also deserving of that hero's welcome. They are my two favorite players of all time as well as favorite teammates. I was fortunate to have both of them in the clubhouse. I want to wish good luck to Carlos. Maybe one day when we're old and gray we can come back to Philly!"

Today In Phils History – Phillies manager Kaiser Wilhelm made the final appearance of his career in 1921 at the age of 45. In a doubleheader sweep of the Phillies in 1939 the Cardinals tied a MLB record with their 8^th consecutive double header sweep. Niles Jordan pitched a shutout in his MLB debut with the Phillies in 1951 during the second game of a double header. In 1988, Ron Jones hit a homerun in his 2^nd MLB at bat. Bobby Abreu became the 3^rd Phillie to hit 3 grand slams in a season in 2005 which was also the 6^th of his career. 3 years later, Chris Coste went 4 for 4 and drives in the winning run despite not entering until the 8^th inning against the Mets. Finally, happy birthday to a whole host of Phillies including Ricky Bottalico (1969), Jayson Nix (1982), Kyle Kendrick (1984), Mario Hollands (1988), and Maikel Franco (1992).   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 59-68 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 51-58-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.